SCOTTSDALE — It’s common with young players to try and land on a comp of who they might be in the big leagues, and when Bo Davidson was at Caldwell Community College, Giants scouts picked a memorable one, referring to him at times as the JUCO Barry Bonds.

But when first-year Giants manager Tony Vitello watches Davidson go through workouts, he has a different outlook.

“I’m willing to bet he’s got the trait like a good defensive back,” Vitello said last week. “You may get burned on one play, but the next play you feel like you’re the best defensive back in the league. That’s what you have to do, have that short memory. I think he naturally has some of those things.”

Davidson likes the comparison, and it’s actually pretty accurate. The 23-year-old is overflowing with athleticism and confidence, and he has an interesting football background. In high school, he played against now-New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye.

“He’s a big dude,” Davidson said on Monday’s “Giants Talk” podcast. “We went out to do the coin toss and he was hovering over me.”

Maye eventually was selected No. 3 overall in the 2024 NFL Draft. Davidson didn’t hear his name called in the MLB Draft, but Giants scouts in North Carolina loved him, and he signed as an undrafted free agent. 

That was a surprise to Davidson, who went to the mall to grab a bite when he didn’t hear his name called. He figured he was headed back to school. Instead, he ended up on the fast track, and it might not be long before he’s playing at the highest level like Maye. 

Davidson reached Double-A at the end of his second full minor league season and earned an invite to big league camp. He is the organization’s No. 3 prospect, behind Bryce Eldridge and Josuar Gonzalez, and he has started to get top 100 love. Baseball America has him No. 87 on their current list of top minor leaguers. 

The Giants are light on outfield depth in the upper minors, and they might have an even bigger need when they set their Opening Day roster. Both Luis Matos and Jerar Encarnacion are out of options, and one could go the way of Marco Luciano and Wade Meckler, and end up elsewhere. 

There is a path there for Davidson to soon be the Triple-A center fielder, but for now, the focus is on getting him reps. Davidson missed time because of the impact of the pandemic and took some time off from baseball altogether before a friend convinced him to return to the field. 

Unlike most in the Giants clubhouse, he did not grow up playing year-round baseball and joining travel teams. Davidson spent years of his childhood in public housing in the Charlotte area.

“It’s what most people call the trenches, along those lines,” Davidson said. 

Ask a Giants official about Davidson and they’ll light up. But they’ll also quickly point out that what he needs most right now is to gain experience, starting with a return trip to Double-A Richmond. 

Davidson earned last year’s promotion after posting a .919 OPS in High-A. While the overall numbers in Double-A don’t jump off the page, he caught fire at the end of the season, hitting five homers over his final 16 games with a wRC+ of 156. 

“It was just more reps and experience,” Flying Squirrels manager Dennis Pelfrey said of that final stretch. “He just needs to play and play and play and start to understand the game of baseball, because the talent is awesome.”

Davidson has flashed good power potential in the minors, but the Giants want to see him tap into more of his natural athleticism. He’s a good runner but has stolen just 26 bases in 193 games. 

That’s an area that vice president of player development Randy Winn has circled back to in his discussions with Davidson. Pelfrey talks about being “overly aggressive” to see how far he can go with his talent. 

“I don’t think he really knows what he can and can’t do on the field,” Pelfrey said. “He probably doesn’t realize what he’s got, but when we all watch him, it’s special.”

Davidson has mostly been working on back fields early in camp, but he should soon have an opportunity to get reps against big league-caliber talent. All three starting outfielders — Harrison Bader, Jung Hoo Lee and Heliot Ramos — will participate in the World Baseball Classic, and Davidson should see a lot of time across the outfield while they’re gone.

Center fielder Bo Davidson is going to get a lot of playing time this spring. The undrafted free agent will start in Double-A but could be an option later in the season. pic.twitter.com/TzUCEPgG71

— Alex Pavlovic (@PavlovicNBCS) February 18, 2026

The work in center field will be particularly intriguing. The minor league system is stocked with shortstops and one might end up in center down the line, but right now, Davidson stands as the best outfield prospect the Giants have. That’s also where the comparison from Vitello might be particularly appropriate. 

“When I’m in the outfield, it’s like you’re playing DB or you’re playing safety,” Davidson said. “You’re just a ballhawk and just go to it, go get it.”

The self-confidence would go a long way under any regime, but it might be an especially good fit for Vitello, who, above all, encourages his players to be themselves. In talking about Davidson early in camp, he has always gone back to that confidence. 

Vitello admitted that Davidson is among the Giants he hasn’t gotten to know very well, mostly because of his status as a minor leaguer. But he’s looking forward to sitting down with him this spring, and the discussion about his future won’t set any limits. 

“Let’s come in the office and chat about how you’re going to be a big leaguer — which I think is going to happen — but how you’re going to be a big-time big leaguer,” Vitello said. “Because there’s a lot of potential there.”

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